No'Ala Huntsville May/June 2012

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4 » May/June 20 12

ON THE COVER: It’s spring, and it’s difficult to stay inside when the gardenbeckons. On the cover, Dr. Steven Cowart’s garden was once a narrow driveway beside his house, which garden designer Bill Nance transformed into aplace to linger. On this page, a focal point in the gardens of the Leroy PopeMansion on Echols Hill near downtown Huntsville.

PHOTO BY DANNY MITCHELL

MAY/JUNE 2012 | NOALAPRESS.COM | 5

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800 Airport RoadHuntsville, AL 35802256-880-1909

May/June 2012Volume 1: Issue 1

• • •C. Allen Tomlinson

Editor-In-Chief

David SimsManaging Editor/Design Director

Contributing WritersSarah Gaede, Laura Anders Lee,Claire Stewart, Allen Tomlinson

Contributing PhotographersDavis Griffin Photography, Patrick Hood,

Johnny Miller, Danny Mitchell

Business ManagerRoy Hall

Marketing Coordinator/Advertising SalesLyndsie McClure

Graphic DesignerRowan Finnegan

Administrative/Editorial AssistantClaire Stewart

InternsAndy Thigpen, Sara Kachelman

• • •No’Ala is published six times annually by No’Ala Press

PO Box 2530, Florence, AL 35630 Phone: 800-779-4222 | Fax: 256-766-4106

Web: www.noalapress.com

Standard postage paid at Huntsville, AL.A one-year subscription is $19.95for delivery in the United States.

Signed articles reflect only the views of the authorsand do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors.

Advertisers are solely responsible forthe content of their advertisements.

© 2008-2012 No’Ala Press, All rights reserved.

Send all correspondence toAllen Tomlinson, Editor,

at the postal address above, or by e-mail [email protected].

Letters may be edited for space and style.

To advertise, contact us at:256-766-4222, or [email protected].

The editor will provide writer’s guidelines uponrequest. Prospective authors should not

submit unsolicited manuscripts; please query theeditor first.

No’Ala is printed with vegetable-based inkson 100% recycled paper.

Join us on Facebook: No’Ala Huntsville

6 » inside

Features12 Art Therapy16 The Perfect Home38 Coming Up Roses48 House Call55 Living Outside the Box62 Secret Gardens

Everything Else8 Contributors

10 Calendar44 Market76 Food for Thought78 Twenty Questions80 Bless Their Hearts82 Parting Shot

H U N T S V I L L E• • • • •


MAY/JUNE 2012 | NOAL APRESS.COM | 7

This is our premiere issue in Huntsville, but we are no strangers to publishing—orto the greater Huntsville area. David and I have been involved in design and printprojects for longer than we care to admit, including the publication of a bi-monthlyissue of No’Ala for the Shoals area, and print and marketing materials for theHuntsville Symphony Orchestra, Burritt on the Mountain, and many others. Wethought the time was right to create a magazine that could serve as a cheerleader forthe Huntsville area, to remind our readers that this is a great place, full of fascinat-ing people, beautiful scenery and a wide array of entertainment options.

So, No’Ala for Huntsville was born. In case you’re wondering, it’s pronounced justlike it’s written—“Know-ala.” We hope you’ll learn more and more about this won-derful place with every issue!

We’re launching this magazine at the beginning of spring, when homes and gardensare at their best, and you’ll find our magazine full of beautiful places that featuredesign ideas you might use in your own home. We have this theory that we all havea favorite living room, dining room, bedroom and bath, but they aren't always underthe same roof—so we created a feature called “The Perfect Home,” and we've pulledtogether some of our favorites for you to see. We'll also go in-depth to show yousome fabulous homes—two renovations and one brand new—that showcase thedesign and decorating talents of some creative professionals here and the home-owners they work for.

As we were going to press, we learned of the untimely death of garden designer BillNance, whose creative works are featured in this issue. We decided to continue thearticle as a tribute to his genius, which will be sorely missed. You’ll also learn aboutAna Byrne, a wonderfully interesting person on Monte Sano who is involved in morethan you probably realize. And did you know that we have retailers here who carryitems you can’t find in Birmingham, Nashville or Atlanta? Read on—you will, soon!In the days of four dollar a gallon gas—or more—it’s great to know that you don’thave to travel out of the city limits to find some very special things!

There’s more of course. We hope you’ll be reminded, through our pages, why this isthe best place in the world to live. Please let us know what you like and don’t like andwhat you’d like to see more about. Like North Alabama, we want No’Ala to be achanging, growing, dynamic reflection of our lives. Enjoy!

Allen TomlinsonDavid Sims

editor’s letter « Allen Tomlinson « 7

There’s no place like No’Ala

Huntsville was saddened to learn of the recent deathof garden designer Bill Nance. We wereprivileged to spenda spring morningwith Bill this pastApril, touring some of his favorite gardens, and present them hereas a testament to his talent...and in tribute to a creativesoul we will dearlymiss.

»If you’d like to seesamples of the maga-zines we publish inthe Shoals, visitnoalapress.com. Youcan read all of ourback issues online.Pay special attentionto the locally-ownedretailers, restaurantsand entertainmentvenues we activelypromote. We’re allabout celebratinglocal talent!

8 » staff and contributors

N O ’A L A H U N T S V I L L EA D V I S O R Y B O A R D

Jennifer DossHuntsville Symphony Orchestra

Leslie EcklundBurritt on the Mountain

Dan HalcombHuntsville Symphony Orchestra

Jeff JohnsonTerramé Day Spa & Salon

Elizabeth JonesBurritt on the Mountain

Ginger Penney Liles

Matthew LilesAIDS Action Coalition

Patrick RobbinsAlabama Pain Center

Charles VaughnFrank Vaughn Lumber Company

Anna Baker WarrenAnna Baker Warren Interiors

H U N T S V I L L E• • • • •

About Event PhotosWe love to publish photos from your events—

and our readers tell us they love to see them. However,in order to retain our sanity so that we can continue tobring you these pictures, we need to have a few rules.

Please make a note, and we’ll all be happy!

Event pictures are FREE. We publish them as space is available, but space is limited. We’ll try to squeeze

you in, but we can’t promise.

We need at least eight (for a half page) photos, a mixture of vertical and horizontal. They must be large!

Photos that look great on Facebook aren’t largeenough for print quality. High resolution, please.

We need the name of the event, the location, and the date it was held.

The people in the photos MUST be identified. This is our greatest cause of stress, because even

though we know a lot of people, we don’t know every-one. If you are picturing large groups or crowd shots,this rule does not apply, but for anything else, if wedon’t have names, the pictures won’t get printed.

Spelling is your responsibility, too.

You may mail a disc or thumb drive, or email the pho-tos and the names of the people in them. Our physical

address is 250 S. Poplar Street, Florence, AL 35630; our email address is [email protected].

Thanks!

Allen Tomlinson Lyndsie McClure

Claire Stewart

David Sims

Roy Hall Laura Anders Lee

Rowan Finnegan Patrick Hood Danny Mitchell

Sarah Gaede Andy Thigpen Sara Kachelman

10 » calendarMay 2Shinedown featuring ChevelleRock/pop concert; 7:00pm; From $37.75. 700 Monroe StreetHuntsville, (256) 533-1953, vonbrauncenter.com.

May 4Monkey SpeakOpen mic night; 8:00pm; $5, Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; flying-monkeyarts.org.

May 4–5WhistleStop Festival and Rocket City BBQ Cook off4:00pm; $5 children/$35 weekend pass; Historic Huntsville Depot;320 Church Street Huntsville; (256) 564-8100; thewhistlestopfesti-val.com.

May 5Alabama Bands Letter 3, Guano Island and Festival Expres-sions8:00pm; $5; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; flyingmonkeyarts.org.

May 5Lonestar in ConcertCountry music concert; 7:30pm; From $39.50; 700 Monroe StreetHuntsville; (256) 533-1953, vonbrauncenter.com.

May 6Rolling Jazz Review7:00pm; $5; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; flyingmonkeyarts.org.

May 6 Brian ReganComedy; 7:00pm; From $35.50; 700 Monroe Street Huntsville; (256)533-1953; vonbrauncenter.com.

May 6, June 3First FridayFree. 5:00pm; (256) 534-3860; HuntsvilleArtLeague.org.

May 10 Foreigner in ConcertClassic rock concert; 8:30pm; From $25. 700 Monroe StreetHuntsville; (256) 533-1953; vonbrauncenter.com.

May 10 Dine and DashTrolley tour of downtown restaurants; 6:00pm; $30; Various loca-tions; (256) 683-0966; Homegrownhuntsville.com.

May 10 Nike Women’s Marathon Preview Party6:00pm; Grogan Jewelers, Bridgestreet Town Centre; Join us forcocktails, desserts, & prizes!

May 12 Dragon Boat Race & Festival–Point Mallard Aquatic Center BeachTo benefit the Decatur General Foundation; Visit dgfdragonboat-festival.org for more information.

May 11–13 Theatre Huntsville presents Lend Me a Tenor7:30pm. and 2:30pm, Sunday; $18 with $3 discount for military,seniors and students; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 700 MonroeStreet Huntsville; (256) 536-0807; yourseatiswaiting.org.

May 12Dream Big Recital featuring children with special needs

at Merrimack Hall4:00pm; $15; 3320 Triana Boulevard, Huntsville; (256) 534-6455;merrimackhall.com.

May 16Under the Covers with Victoria Shaw with special guest JimBrickmanSinger/songwriters in concert; 7:30pm; $30; Merrimack Hall, 3320Triana Boulevard, Huntsville; (256) 534-6455; merrimackhall.com.

May 17Sidewalk Arts Stroll: A Downtown Marketplace4:30pm; Free; Courthouse Square; (256) 534-8376.

May 17Art with a TwistPensacola Museum of Art class; $35 members, $45 non-membersincludes materials and refreshments; 5:30pm; 300 Church Street;(256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org.

May 17–19 Theatre Huntsville presents Lend Me a Tenor7:30pm; Friday and Saturday, 2:30pm. and 7:30pm, Sunday; $18with $3 discount for military, seniors and students; Von Braun Cen-ter Playhouse; 700 Monroe Street Huntsville; (256) 536-0807;yourseatiswaiting.org.

May 19Moondust Big Band dance lessons and concert7:00pm; $10/$7 students; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; flyingmon-keyarts.org.

May 20Opening of Red Clay Survey, 2012 Exhibition

of Contemporary Southern Art$8 adults, $4 children, under six and members free; 1:00pm.; 300Church Street; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org.

May 22 Jim Parker’s Songwriters Series6:30pm; From $20; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 700 Monroe StreetHuntsville; (256) 533-1953; vonbrauncenter.com.

May 25City Lights Concert Series at Burritt Mountain7:30 p.m. $10/members; $12/in advance or $15/non-members.3101 Burritt Drive, Huntsville. (256) 536-2882, burrittonthemoun-tain.com.

May 25Epic Comedy Hour8:00pm; $7; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; flyingmonkeyarts.org.

May 4-5WhistleStop Festival and Rocket City BBQ Cook Off

MAY/JUNE 2012 | NOALAPRESS.COM | 11

May 26–27Old School and Blues Festival1:00pm; $30 day/$50 weekend; Jaycee’s Building; 2180 AirportRoad, Huntsville; (256) 430-4072.

May 2832nd Annual Mercedes-Benz Cotton Row Run and MemorialDay Celebration7:00am; From $10; Von Braun Center at Clinton Avenue; (256) 650-7063, www.huntsvilletrackclub.org.

June 1Monkey SpeakOpen mic night. 8:00pm; $5; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; flying-monkeyarts.org.

June 1-28th Annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival and Folk Arts SideshowFriday, 6:00pm–9:00pm; Saturday, 7:00pm–midnight; $15; FlyingMonkey at Lowe Mill, (256) 479-7863, flyingmonkeyarts.org.

June 1–3Huntsville Community Chorus Summer Musical ShowtunesNightly 6:00pm; Dinner and show $30; Saturday matinee 2:00pm;$20; Trinity UMC Wesley Center; 607 Airport Road; (256) 533-6606;thechorus.org.

June 7–9Huntsville Community Chorus Summer Musical ShowtunesThursday 7:00pm; Dessert and show $20; Friday and Saturday 6:00pm; Dinner and show $30; Saturday matinee 2:00pm; $20; Trinity

UMC Wesley Center; 607 Airport Road; (256) 533-6606;thechorus.org.

June 8Concerts on the Dock: Shovels and RopeLowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net.

June 14Dine and DashTrolley tour of downtown restaurants; 6:00pm; $30; Various loca-tions; (256) 683-0966; Homegrownhuntsville.com.

June 15Artist Reception6:00pm, Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399, lowemill.net.

June 21Sidewalk Arts Stroll: A Downtown Marketplace4:30pm; Free; Courthouse Square; (256) 534-8376.

June 22Jim Parker’s Songwriters Series6:30pm; From $20; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 700 Monroe StreetHuntsville; (256) 533-1953; vonbrauncenter.com.

June 29City Lights Concert Series at Burritt Mountain7:30pm; $10/members; $12/in advance or $15/non-members;3101 Burritt Drive; Huntsville; (256) 536-2882; burrittonthemoun-tain.com.

12 | NOAL APRESS.COM | MAY/JUNE 2012

TEXT BY LAURA ANDERS LEE » PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

12 » everybody’s business


There’s no other place here in town that has the typeof work I’ve seen at the Little Green Store. People from allover the country have found the store. —Tony Horn

There’s something therapeutic about driving up Monte Sanomountain, leaving the city behind in the valley below. Past thewall of trees, budding flowers and signs for deer and hikingtrails sits The Little Green Store.

Four years ago, Dr. Ana Byrne decided to open a gallery andgift shop next to her child psychology practice on Monte SanoBoulevard. With an artist friend looking to showcase her workand with a friend looking for a job, Ana thought opening a lit-tle store was the perfect solution.

“At that time, there were no stores offering eco-friendly prod-ucts in Huntsville, and I wanted to offer something different,”said Ana. “We live in a very artsy community, and I wanted aplace to showcase the work of local artists and also introducerecycled, eco-friendly products.”

When it opened, it literally was The Little Green Store.

“You could stand in the middle of the room and touch all fourwalls,” Ana laughed.

Facing page: AnaByrne, owner of theLittle Green Store,holds a piece of hand-made glass by artistDebora Neis. Opposite:Jewelry by Rocket CityGlass Girls. Above:Sculpture by CathyBroski.

The store has since expanded four times, and Ana now stocksmore than 1,000 items, which are local, eco-friendly, recycla-ble, organic or fair trade goods. Most everything in the shop isfrom the Huntsville area, apart from a few items that Ana justfell in love with which were brought in from other areas of thecountry.

“Everything here is as close as I can get it,” said Ana.

With soothing music playing and fresh scents burning, shop-pers are encouraged to take their time to browse the colorfulart and unique products. The walls are filled with acrylics, oilsand mixed media representing dozens of local and regionalartists. There are popular gift items from the Rocket City GlassGirls, books on green living, jars of local honey, clothes madeof organic cotton and thoughtful greeting cards printed onrecycled paper. There’s a bold, modern chair made from sal-vaged street signs, and there’s a graceful handmade woodenchair. There are handcrafted wooden bowls and servingspoons. There’s a wall of organic wine, a bookcase of yummybath and body products, shelves of local pottery and severalglass cases displaying handmade jewelry. There’s even a boxof biodegradable doggie-do bags.

“This necklace is made of tree bark,” explained Toni Bridges,who has worked at the store for three years. “Everything inhere is so unique. There really are some great gift items that


can’t be found anywhere else and thatare priced reasonably.”

Ana sees her patients three times a weekin her office next door. The other daysshe spends tending shop, teaching her-self new ways to market the store,looking for unique products to offer hercustomers and finding new local artists.

“We like to bring in two new artists eachmonth,” said Ana. “We want to keep itinteresting and give the communitysomething fresh. We’re filling a niche,and the community has been veryresponsive.”

One such artist is Madison resident Vic-toria Tuggey who creates beautiful silk,tye-dye scarves in a spectrum of colors.

“The Little Green Store is like a little SanFrancisco on the mountain,” said Victo-ria. “The art and the crafts are sodiverse. I feel blessed they have takenmy scarves to sell. When I come in andsee that someone has seen my work andliked it enough to buy it, it just warmsmy heart. It fuels my desire to createmore and gives me a sense of value formy work.”

“There’s no other place here in townthat has the type of work I’ve seen at the

Little Green Store,” said Tony Horn, a Huntsville native whosenatural wood art is for sale at the shop. “There’s a great clien-tele. People from all over the country have found the store.”

Besides her love for art, Ana is also passionate about the envi-ronment. A few years ago, Ana and several communitypartners started a community garden next to the store, thanksto Channel 31 which donated the land for the project. Anyonein the community can reserve a plot; however, due to its pop-ularity, there’s a waiting list now.

“Environmental responsibility is important because it’s doingsomething that is bigger than yourself,” Ana said. “We can allwork together and make a difference locally and globally.”

Besides having a store that is green certified, Ana holds a PhDfrom the University of Miami. She and her husband relocatedto Alabama 27 years ago from South Florida.

“Florida was close to heaven, but Monte Sano is heaven,” saidAna. “We love it here.” N

Facing page: The LittleGreen Store on MonteSano Mountain con-tains a variety ofmostly local artists andcraftsmen. This page,top: Art glass by OrbixHot Glass.

We like to bring in two new artists each month. We want to keep it interesting and give

the community something fresh.We’re filling a niche, and the community has been

very responsive.


the Entry Hall If an entry hall is supposed to set the tone for the entire house, this room, designed by John Hunt Fudge,

says we’re in for a treat. With guest-stopping pieces like an antique sideboard from Northgate Gallery in Nashville and a gilded

mirror from New Orlean’s French Quarter, this entry makes us feel both welcome and inspired to see what’s beyond its four walls.

PHOTO BY JOHNNY MILLER


PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOODADDITIONAL PHOTOS BY JOHNNY MILLERAND DANNY MITCHELL

It’s the stunning living room, the kitchenwhere everyone gathers, the garden thatyou just can’t forget. When you imaginethe perfect house, it is sometimes a collec-tion of favorite rooms from totallydifferent homes.

In this issue, we collect a few of our per-sonal favorite rooms to give youdecorating ideas for your own. Althougheach of these rooms is distinctly different,every one of them is full of inspiration.And the marvelous thing is that there arebeautiful rooms like this all over theHuntsville area!

the Perfect Home


the Living RoomWhat makes the perfect living room?

Space to entertain. This beautiful room

in a home near the historic district

downtown is built to hold lots of people,

and its warm colors and golden hues

keep the room bright and alive. The soft

color of the walls is a backdrop for

beautiful works of art, and the marble

floor is a work of art in itself. The archi-

tect for this home was Frank Nola, with

interiors by Jean Penney.


the Perfect Home

the Kitchen Deke and Danielle Damson’s kitchen is a chef ’s dream. Designed by Huntsville architect Frank Nola, the

brick walls and large center island make it easy to prepare a snack or a five course meal, and sitting and eating areas encourage

the family and friends to gather...and stay. The entire Damson home is beautiful, but why would you want to leave the kitchen?



Shannon and Martin Folgmann

Jerry Nutt, David Lockington, Kay Lowry, Sam Lowry, and Patrick Robbins

Carleen and Doug Bryant

Denis Bouriakov and Ivor FredricksonDavid Lockington, David Brown

and Frances Huffman

Designer Lance Gilbreath

Nancy Finnegan, Aaron Lacy, and Victoria Pennington

Nancy Finnegan, LeJeune, and Victoria Pennington

Attendee signing in

Mabry Miller and Jerry Wise

Attendees arriving

Allen Yates and Ruth Yates,Sharon and James Gardepe

Aaron Lacy (center) with models Oas ‘Caen and Maryna

Lance Gilbreath and attendees

John and Lori Chase, Eric and Katie Sanders

22 » scene

Above: Huntsville Symphony Orchestra After-PartyMARCH 10, 2012 HOME OF KAY AND SAM LOWRY

Below: Alabama Fashion AllianceNetworking Mixer

MARCH 22, 2012 MEI WEI ASIAN BISTRO

Make-up artists Candice and Kim(left) with model Cecilia

PHOTOS BY ZAMZAM

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HSO


the Dining Room The Leroy Pope Mansion on Echols Hill, home of Danny Wiginton and named “Poplar Grove,”

contains a beautiful and luxurious formal dining room filled with antiques and embellished with Scalamandré silk drapery.

The walls are upholstered in Brunschwig and Fils silk damask. Artwork includes “At The Garden Gate,” by American artist

Frances Coates Jones (above, left), and several works by Theodore Earl Butler. A humidor made of walrus tusk (far right, bottom)

with sterling silver accents was found in pieces by the room’s designer, Anna Baker Warren, and reconstructed by Bill Lewis.

the Perfect Home

PHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL



the Perfect Home


the Master Bath The entrance to this master bathroom is through a huge walk-in closet, and the expansive area

features heated marble floors and a view of the back yard garden. Clear glass around the shower, to the left of the tub, is

repeated to the right with frosted glass around the water closet. The room is filled with light, and there is storage galore.

This recently remodeled bath was a project overseen by Charles Vaughn of Frank Vaughn Lumber Company.


Linda Akenhead

Chris Wesley, Mabry Miller, and Patrick Robbins

Rachel and Paul Matheny

Jennifer and Matthew Doss

Dorrie and Jerry Nutt, and Nancy Richardson

Thomas and Carlen Williams

Nadyne Churchill, Spike Fieldand Susan Todd

Randy Roper and Ken Rivenbark

Sasha and Charlie Sealy

Vladimir Tsarkov, Jr. and Eula Battle

The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild’s 2012 Crescen-Dough AuctionAPRIL 13, 2012 THE VON BRAUN CENTERSOUTH HALL

Alex Smith, Cindy Sealy, Eric and Lisa Briggs Ginney McDonald and Donna Shergy

Amelia Summerville, Debbie Overcash,Brenda Millberger and Mary Ena Heath

Leila Hergert, Talitha Yokley, Beth Moshierand Samantha Bentley

Kathy and Brian Bence

John Gibson, Joel and Rachel Banta

28 » scene



the Perfect Home


the Master BedroomDesigner Anna Baker Warren created

a relaxing and comfortable master

bedroom for Richard and Sue Campbell

using soothing, muted colors, Scala-

mandré silks in a Manuel Canovas

print, and interesting architectural

pieces, such as the headboard made of

wooden screens (from Marche aux

Puces, Paris). The sitting area around

the fireplace is where the Campbells

unwind after a long day.

Accents by The Topiary TreeLamps from The Golden GriffinFloral displays by Andrea Vandervoort

of Queen Anne’s LaceMarc Chagall prints framed

by Kirk Carlisle GalleriesConstruction by Charles Vaughn



the Nursery A little girl’s room should be happy, and that’s exactly what Jean Penney created for her granddaughter,

daughter of Parker and Ginger Liles. Bright colors and three dimensional pieces combine to create a room that makes visitors

smile when they enter. The chandelier is a special treat, draped with beads, frogs, and jewels. Original art is by Jean Penney.

the Perfect Home

the Perfect Home

the Great Room A great room should be a comfortable place that reflects the owners' interests and style. In this

home, designer John Hunt Fudge was influenced by the owner’s love of collecting, and he combined an Empire daybed from

New Orleans and an Oushak rug with leather wingback chairs and Asian accents for an established and club-like feel.

The wall above the fireplace is faux painted to evoke limestone walls.


PHOTOS BY JOHNNY MILLER


the Perfect Home

PHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL


the Garden Outdoor rooms are as important as interior rooms, and at the Chandler home the garden and pool is a

gracious respite from the rest of the world. The structures were designed by architect Frank Nola, and the garden design was by

Bill Nance; the garden includes a gathering area around an outdoor fireplace, where guests can relax to the sounds of the spa

and waterfall at the pool.

Coming Up

TEXT BY LAURA ANDERS LEEPHOTOS BY PATRICK HOODADDITIONAL PHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL


“A home filled with flowers is always ahappy home.” Connie Stephensonrecites a favorite saying in the livingroom of her downtown Huntsvillehome, and then shows off a yellow rose,tinged with pink on the tips of thepetals, that she picked from her gardenthat morning. Her roses, and her fivegrandsons, are her pride-and-joy, andthe presence of both can be feltthroughout the entire house.

About four years ago, Connie’s husbandRusty was retiring from AmSouth Bank.His career had taken them to Birming-ham, Tampa, Nashville, and even oncebefore to Huntsville, and they decidedHuntsville would be the perfect place toreturn for the second stage of their life.Their son and his family already livedhere, and their other son and his familylived nearby in Birmingham. So, thecouple began looking for the perfecthome for their family.

That perfect home turned out to be onAdams Street in the Twickenham dis-trict—after years of searching followedby an expansive addition and 20 monthsof renovation.

“We knew we wanted to be downtown,”said Connie. “We’ve had larger homesand smaller homes, but you alwaysknow when it’s the right one. Wewanted a place for our grandchildren towalk and ride their bikes. Rusty and Ilove being able to walk to NativityChurch and to downtown restaurants.”

Before even putting a contract on thehouse, the Stephensons sat down withlocal architect Frank Nola, designersBeverly Farrington and Andrea Wilsonof Accents of the South and builderGlenn Cope to make sure an expansionwould be feasible, especially given theregulations of the historic district. Thecouple had certain requirements to fitthe needs of their family, such as hav-ing a master bedroom on the mainfloor, open living areas, a garden andlivable outdoor space.

“We ended up keeping most of theoriginal house, with the exception ofthe kitchen,” said Connie. “Frankdesigned the new kitchen and living


The kitchen (above) has a large stainedwooden island and a comfy sitting area forthe boys to hang out while their mothers andgrandmother cook. Left: The living room andentry. Facing page: One of five cherubs, eachrepresenting a Stephenson grandchild, takescenterstage in the rose garden.


area so it could all be open and airy withlots of windows. We needed a place togather the family, where everyone can bein the house, and even if in differentrooms can all see each other.”

The kitchen, or the keeping room, has alarge stained wooden island and a comfysitting area for the boys to hang outwhile their mothers and grandmothercook. The adjacent screened-in porchhas a fireplace for roasting marshmal-lows and a view of the side yard, wherethe boys, who range in age from three totwelve, like to play baseball. In the orig-inal part of the house, which was built in1888, the parlor, dining room and denare appointed beautifully and tradition-ally, both with new pieces, such as acustom painting by local artist MarkSinger, and existing pieces such as Con-nie’s blue and white china collection.

“We wanted to make sure it was a livablespace for the grandchildren that’s bothfunctional and beautiful,” said Andrea.“In the downstairs rooms, we wanted

The parlor (top) faces the front of the home and is beautifully fur-nished with both new and antique furniture. Above: The study wasdesigned for Rusty and features a ceiling reminiscent of a railroadtrack, since Rusty’s father worked for the railroad for years.


The den (right) features severalpieces of Connie’sblue and white china collection.Below: The formaldining room.

“We wanted the design to be classic and traditional, especially in the originalpart of the home. In the other rooms, we wanted a few more modern touches

and splashes of color—Connie likes a lot of color.”Andrea Wilson


the design to be classic and traditional,especially in the original part of thehome. In the other rooms, we wanted afew more modern touches and splashesof color—Connie likes a lot of color.”

Upstairs in the original part of the house,three bedrooms, a den and a bathroomwere designed for the grandsons. “Atfirst since the boys were younger, wedesigned the front room like a nursery,but now we’re getting into teenagermode,” said Connie.

Downstairs in the new addition is themaster bedroom suite, complete with aspacious garden tub that literally over-looks the garden. The bedroom isdressed in an elegant blue and white,Connie’s favorite. On the basementlevel, which ended up being a bonusspace due to the sloping of the lot, is astudy, the ceiling reminiscent of a rail-

“We knew we wanted to be downtown. We’ve had larger homes and smaller homes, but

you always know when it’s the right one.”Connie Stephenson


road track. “This room was designed for Rusty—his father worked for the railroad foryears and years,” said Connie. Near the study are a mudroom and a small kitchen. “Thiswhole area could be converted into living quarters should we need a caregiver one day,”said Connie. “We’re not young, and we built this house with our future in mind.”

Leading out from downstairs is Connie’s garden, rose pavilion and carriage house. TheStephensons, who like to entertain everyone from their grandsons to church groups tolarge fund-raisers, consider the rose pavilion the perfect party place. The rose pavilionhas a comfortable sitting area with outdoor fireplace and a table for dining alfresco. “It’sa fun place to have the family gather for dinner or for when friends drop in for a drink,”said Connie. “Adams is a great street for that.”

The upstairs of the carriage house is the quintessential guys’ hangout, complete withexercise equipment and a television. Downstairs is an open space for Rusty’s golf cartand Connie’s gardening equipment. “Rusty is teaching the boys how to drive already,”laughed Connie. The boys can be seen with their grandfather in the evenings puttingaround Adams Street.

“Bill Nance designed a space in the far back so I could cut flowers and bring them inside,”said Connie. “Roses are my favorite. It’s wonderful to go out in the early morning andpick flowers, no matter what season, and bring them in. My husband teases me that Ispend more money on flowers than groceries.”

Connie says the best place in the house to sit is on the bench in her side yard. The viewfaces the rose pavilion with the carriage house to one side and the main house to theother. Anchoring both walls are a plaque and a fountain featuring five cherubs, eachframed by a tendril of roses.

“Those cherubs represent each of my grandsons,” said Connie. “If you look closely, youcan even see five distinct personalities.” N

Facing page: The new master bedroom suite, complete with a spacious garden tub.The bedroom isdressed in an elegant blue andwhite, Connie’sfavorite. Above: The carriage houseand rose pavilion.

“The carriage house is fun place to have the family gather fordinner or for when friends drop in for a drink.

Adams is a great street for that.”Connie Stephenson



44 » market » Claire Stewart » Photos by Danny Mitchell

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46 » market

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Historic renovationsare always challeng-ing, especially whenblending two styles,which is exactly whatDr. Curt Freuden-

berger wanted to accomplish. Beingfrom California, and having lived in NewOrleans, he’s enamored by the architec-ture of historic homes and especially theCraftsman styles out west. When hemoved to Huntsville more than threeyears ago to be close to his mother, hewas drawn to a Victorian farmhouse indowntown’s Twickenham district.

“I knew when it came to making aninvestment, the value would be retainedmore in a historic area, and I just lovedthe house,” Curt said.

After sitting vacant for several years, thehome needed an extensive renovation.Originally built in the late 1800s, it hadbeen expanded over several decades, butthe poorly-constructed addition neededto be demolished and replaced. To meetthe requirements of the Huntsville His-toric Preservation Commission and theTwickenham Historic District, the Vic-torian vernacular forms had to beretained, but Curt was anxious to reno-

TEXT BY LAURA ANDERS LEEPHOTOS BY DAVIS GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY


vate the house with his own twist. So he called on Marc Gold-mon of Matheny Goldmon Architects for help breathing newlife into the Victorian while reflecting his tastes and lifestyle.

As a spine surgeon and the son of an aerospace engineer, Curtis meticulous and focused. He applied that same focus to therenovation of his home. When interviewing general contrac-tors, one of Curt’s requirements was that the home be finishedin nine months. Only one was up for the challenge: DavidHasting, a local cabinet maker and the kind of talented artisanCurt was seeking. Curt worked closely with David and Marcthroughout the entire project, offering his suggestions andideas as they drew, re-drew and perfected the house plans.

The renovation began, andthe new design kept most ofthe original Victorian farm-house and porch, with newadditions that included atwo-story expansion to theside and a carriage house inthe back. Curt liked thecharm of the Craftsmanporch elements on the origi-nal home, and he wantedthem to remain as a referencefor the new addition. Heavilydetailed Mahogany Victo-

rian-style arches begin in the entranceway and are repeatedthroughout the house, however each has a subtle decorativeflair that leans more Craftsman. Brackets, panels, pilasters andcolumns were also designed to blend the Victorian and Crafts-man elements throughout the home.

In the kitchen, Curt wanted to keep the design simple with nocabinets above the countertops. “I like clean lines and no visualobstructions,” said Curt. Those clean lines are seen on thebarstools, shelves, light fixtures and the Stickley-style diningroom chairs. And, the doors are limited throughout the houseso the home feels open with a sense of flow.

Marc, who is careful never to make a home look flat, incorpo-rated a cantilevered staircase to add character and form. Healso designed the living room with a vaulted ceiling and plentyof windows to allow for natural light and create space, so thatthe room wasn’t just a box. “A flat ceiling in a large room canmake it look like a cave,” said Marc. “The vaulted ceiling opensup the space. In the living room and throughout the house, we


“When it comes to historic architecturein general, there is lots of detail required toreflect the style accurately. When blending twostyles, you have to include subtle hints of bothand not let one overwhelm the other.” —Marc Goldmon

The house perfectlyfits the neighbor-hood, even thoughit’s much larger thanthe original. Carefulattention was givento Historic Districtregulations to makethis renovation andexpansion an awardwinner.


Above: The kitchen, when the project began.

The interior of the home is luxurious andspacious and doesn’t look anything like itdid before (above).


kept a small scale by breaking down masses so it still feelsquaint and intimate.”

Curt added his own personal touches to the interiors, findingsalvaged architectural materials, such as the elaborate woodennewel post on the staircase, and he challenged Marc to find aplace for them. “I found hardware, the newel post, light fix-tures and even turn-of-the-century doors from the New Yorkand Chicago area,” said Curt. “I had stained glass custom madehere in Huntsville, and I commissioned local artist RobertBean on several paintings for the home. Robert’s works fit mypersonality.”

The backyard is equipped with a barbecue pavilion, patio,greenhouse and gardens, which Curt mostly maintains him-self. And, there is plenty of room and convenient access toCurt’s cycling equipment so that he’s always ready to go on aquick jaunt downtown or a longer ride to train for his nextcompetitive event.

The completed project accomplished what Curt and Marcwere going for, a seamless blending of Victorian and Crafts-man styles with their own modern twist. Their vision wasrecognized with an American Institute of Architects DesignAward for the North Alabama region.“When it comes to his-toric architecture in general, there is lots of detail required toreflect the style accurately,” said Marc. “Especially when blend-ing two styles, you have to include subtle hints of both and notlet one overwhelm the other.”

“Marc did a great job and was very detailed oriented,” saidCurt. “You have certain tastes, but you need someone to kickthem up a notch, and that’s what Marc did for me.” The newaddition has definitely kicked the old Victorian up a notch. Thespacious yet cozy, traditional yet modern home successfullymerged the best of both worlds, adding to the charm of Twick-enham district. N

“I like clean lines and novisual obstructions.”

—Curt Freudenberger


Allen Tomlinson and Maggie Little

Clayton Bass and Dee Burt Holmes

Bill Matthews and Larry Long

Author Sara McDaris

Children enjoying Spring Camp atBurritt on the Mountain

Maggie Little (right) discusses her workJimmy Robinson reads his poetry.

Janice Turner and Mary Compton

Peggy Simpson, Linda Spalla, and Butch Damson

Noel and Robert Beck

54 » scene

Above: Opening ReceptionThe Sanctuary Artists–The Art of Nature

MARCH 18, 2012 TENNESSEE VALLEY MUSEUM OF ART

Below: Hats on Parade and Burritt NatureRangers Spring Camp

MARCH 26, 2012 BURRITT ON THE MOUNTAIN

Lady Jane Vowell and MarySiebert

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TVAA

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BURRITT ON THE MOUNTAIN

TEXT BY LAURA ANDERS LEEPHOTOS BY DAVIS GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY



The Salters don’t like to be boxed in.Jean is often in her yard gardening, while Bill can be found onthe golf course. They love big open spaces and having plentyof room to accommodate their many house guests. Bill andJean have been married for 45 years, and like most couples,often talked about owning their dream home one day. In 2010,they finally moved into that dream home—a uniquely designedEuropean Victorian at the Ledges that’s far from your typicalbox-shape.

An electrical engineer and executive on the brink of retire-ment, Bill became an owner of the Ledges more than 10 yearsago when the community was just being developed. Billapplied his love for golf to the project and became instrumen-tal in the design of the clubhouse.

“I have to brag on my husband,” said Jean. “He really has a tal-ent for architecture.”

With the clubhouse built and the community developmentunderway, the Salters turned their attention to their dreamhome. They contacted Paul Matheny of Matheny GoldmonArchitects in 2006.

“Marc and I had just established our firm, and the Salters wereactually our first client,” said Paul. “To me, they were the idealclient because they were part of the creative process from thebeginning. What I value most about my job is being invitedinto my clients’ world. I’m providing a backdrop into what theirlives might be.”

During the planning process, the Salters and Matheny Gold-mon paid attention to every detail, ensuring the house wouldindeed be the perfect backdrop for their lifestyle.

“We tailored everything to how we live,” Jean said.

Because Jean loves to garden, the sunroom features its ownfaucet and drain with large windows facing the morning sun.Because Jean enjoys sewing, a large sewing room was built onthe second floor far enough from the bedroom so she won’twake her husband when working late at night. Because Jeancherishes her collection of delicate figurines, lighted display

The exterior of the Salter home, with its intricatebrickwork, is a showplace in The Ledges.


“When we were looking at house plans, we never gravitated toward a square or rectangular shape.We built our home around its outdoor surroundings.” —Jean Salter


cases were built throughout the home.Bill is an early riser, so Jean made sure hecould leave the bedroom quietly throughthe closet so as not to wake her. Beingthe golfer he is, Bill enjoys that the houseis right on the eighth hole. And as grand-parents, Jean and Bill made sure theirgrandchildren had rooms of their ownand even asked them to participate inthe decoration.

“When we were looking at house plans,we never gravitated toward a square orrectangular shape,” said Jean. “We builtour home around its outdoor surround-ings and our open floor plan, and it justtook on its own shape. The back of thehouse overlooks the bluff and HamptonCove below. The kitchen faces the fair-way, and we have a beautiful naturalwetlands in the front. I like a nice openfloor plan with flow for entertaining, butthat still feels cozy.”

“They were the ideal client because they were part of the creative process from the beginning. I’m providing a backdrop into what their lives might be.” —Paul Matheny

Above: The staircaseleads to an upperlevel which overlooksthe large living room.Built in display caseshold the Salters’many collections.


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The Salters often open their home tolocal charities. Just four months aftermoving in, Jean hosted 500 women atthe Symphony Guild Silver Tea, themain fund-raiser for the youth orches-tra. The spacious kitchen and intricatebar provide the perfect gathering placefor their events. The two-story livingarea is open to the rest of the house,allowing for warm light and a welcom-ing feel. The staircase is a stunningconversation piece, with its intricate ironwork and elegant curves. And the out-side of the home was designed with thesame detail in mind as the inside.

“We literally drew every single brick,”said Paul. “We knew if the masonry was-n’t executed exactly, then the rest of thedesign wouldn’t work. We had qualitycraftsmen on the project who weredevoted to their trade. You can see theskill in the slate roofing, the blend of nat-ural stone with brick, the bracketed eves,ridge cresting on the roof and the elabo-rate wood trim.”

“The Salter home is really distinct,” headded. “It fits in comfortably with thecommunity, yet it stands out. It’s a beau-tiful property. From the start, we knewit would be unique.”

When asked his favorite part of thehouse, Paul answered, “The stair tower.It’s the first thing you see when you drivearound the corner. It’s very formal anddetailed to the highest degree. It becamethe lynchpin for the whole design andthe primary point of emphasis for theentire structure.”

But Jean has a different answer. “Myfavorite room is the one I’m in. I’m seri-ous—there’s something I’m enamoredwith in every room.”

The home truly is a dream come true. N

Rich textures and deep, elegant colors wereused throughout the home by designer JanaCollins of Nashville.


“My favorite room is the one I’m in. I’m serious—there’s something I’m enamored with in every room.” —Jean Salter

Above: The master bedroom with its paneled walls. Below: The master bathroom (left) and the upper floor of the stair tower.


TEXT BY ALLEN TOMLINSON » PHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL



64 » Secret Gardens

Above, left, and pre-ceding pages: PoplarGrove, the Leroy Popemansion, sits on almostseven acres on EcholsHill in the historic dis-trict. Bill’s influencecan be seen throughoutthe property, includingthe plantings aroundthe infinity pool. By thedriveway, mounds ofwhite azaleas standnear a column whichhas been used as anarchitectural elementin the side garden.

Right: Bill’s talent wasin creating spaces thatwere interesting tolook at from everyangle. Here, the walk-way beside Rusty andConnie Stephenson’shouse invites the visi-tor to stroll leisurelyinto the back yard.


The garden gate at theStephenson home. The entrance to thegarden, at the side ofthe house, gives no clueabout the wonders ofthe summer room andyard at the back of thishouse, but the gate isinviting. Visitors tothis garden are treatedto one beautiful sur-prise after anotherbefore entering a spec-tacular summer room,with a fireplace and aview of the immaculateback yard.



Top right: A view of theStephenson’s back yardfrom the rear of thehouse. Left and below:The moss garden at theDotts home is uniqueand peaceful, and bor-ders an amazing rosegarden which reachesits peak of color in thesummer. The gardenreinforces the relaxed,almost New Orleansfeel of the back of thehouse, where ascreened porch allowsguests a view—and thescents—of the roses.


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Want us to help tell your story? Get in touch! We are looking for advertisers, partners and ideasfor stories. We’d love to hear from you!

Photo by Danny Mitchell for No’Ala


68 » Secret Gardens “Every gardening mis-take I’ve ever made I’vemade in my own gar-den,” said Bill, but youwon’t find any mistakeshere. It doesn't matterwhere you stand or sit,in Bill’s garden thereare breathtaking viewsand splashes of colorthroughout the year.


Bill’s garden includedone of the most elabo-rate bottle trees intown, which he loadedwith bottles of all colors (not just the traditional blue). The garden gate isenticing and inviting.



Bill rarely designedgardens with berms,preferring to terrace,but the garden at Susanand Charles Morley'shouse is an exception.This garden’s Englishstyle fits the house perfectly; one of theoldest wooden structures in northAlabama, the housecalled for a slightly less formal feel.


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Bill took a narrowdriveway at the Cowart home and converted it to astrolling garden which opens into alarger back yard that is perfect for entertaining.


“Bill was an artist, andhis pallette was plants,”said friend KathleenDotts. His unique tal-ent was the ability toenvision what the gar-den would look like asit grew. “Gardens,” saidBill, “are all aboutchange.”



Some gardens are formal; some are not.One of Bill’s favoriteswas this mature gardenfilled with color all yearround, which includedplenty of blooms forcutting.


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THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME OF YEAR FOR COCKTAILS ON THE FRONT PORCH,or on the sun porch with all the windows open and a fan circling gently overhead. It’s asouthern thing, from before the days of air conditioning, when chatting with friendsand watching the world go by was entertainment enough. All you need to make yourhappiness complete is a cooling beverage and a little something to nibble on.

My paternal grandparents lived in Darlington, South Carolina, one of the hottest placesin the universe, especially during our annual August visitation. After our morning tourof the market with Grandma to pick out the vegetables for dinner (served in the mid-dle of the day as God intended) we would sit on the front porch to receive relatives,shell peas, and swig down our daily ice-cold nickel Cokes. There were always boiledpeanuts, which for some reason I eschewed until I was grown, to bridge the gap betweeneggs, sausage, biscuits and yellow grits at breakfast; and the full spread at noon. Wegathered on the porch again after supper, to swing (in the ubiquitous Southern porchfixture) to the dulcet strains of “Does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpostovernight?” taught to us by our naughty first-cousin-once-removed Poke. Our goal wasto swing hard enough to go flying off the porch, but we never did. (Although my fatherdid suffer the indignity of having the chain break on Granny’s porch swing and dumphim out at the same time he was being stung by a wasp. That might be why I prefer myporches to have screens.)

I’ve progressed in my tastes since those long-ago times. I grew to love boiled peanuts,although I don’t eat them very often because the salt makes me puff up. And of coursethe world of adult beverages has expanded my drink horizons. But I still like to keep itsimple. For instance, my preferred beach libation/snack combo is rum and tonic(Schweppes only) with lime, and Crunchy Cheetos.

Recently, my friend Lynn came over after yoga for a glass of Lillet, a yummy aperitif thatis worth seeking out. We needed a little something to hold us until supper and soak upthe alcohol. I just happened to have some homemade pimento cheese and saltineson hand. Perfection!

Pimento cheese is something else I did-n’t eat until I was grown, probablybecause my mother made it with Mir-acle Whip, which I will not letpast my lips. The bestpimento cheese is the sim-plest. My recipe springsfrom the one in Frank Stitt’sSouthern Table, and featuresroasted red bell peppers.Although Stitt makes his ownmayonnaise, PC keeps better if

76 » food for thought » Sarah Gaede

A Pimento Cheese Primer

Pimentocheese is some-thing else Ididn’t eat untilI was grown,probablybecause mymother madeit with MiracleWhip, which Iwill not letpast my lips.


you use mayonnaise from a jar. I won’t stop you if you useDuke’s, but I prefer classic Hellman’s. If you don’t have theenergy to grate cheese, serve Mook’s cheese straws, which areperfectly acceptable and work just fine as an alcohol sponge.

Frank Stitt-ish Pimento Cheese

• 1 pound sharp yellow cheddar (I like Cracker Barrel)• 3-ounce block Philadelphia cream cheese, softened• 3 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded

and chopped (Google how-to) or equivalent roasted red peppers from a jar

• 1/2 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise• 1 teaspoon sugar• Freshly ground black pepper to taste• Splash of hot sauce (Tabasco, Cholula or Frank’s

are good)• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Grate cheese by hand. Transfer to a bowl, add creamcheese and remaining ingredients and squish with handsuntil well-combined. Refrigerate, preferably overnightuntil flavors blend, although you probably won’t be ableto wait that long. Great on saltines, celery sticks, andwhole-grain bread. Or on hot dogs or hamburgers. Orstraight out of the container. You will eat it up long beforeit reaches the expiration date.

Note: Freshly roasted red peppers are the best, but evenjarred roasted red peppers are far better than those littlepieces of jarred pimento.

Here are some wonderful cooling drinks, ending with themost potent. For a simple summer glass of wine, Will Rawson at The Wine Cellar recommends A-to-Z UnoakedChardonnay. Keep a bottle chilled at all times, right nextto the PC.

Peaches-on-the-Porch

• 1 liter white wine—an off-dry Gewürztraminer would be nice

• 4 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced• 1/4 cup sugar• 1 lemon, sliced thin and seeded

At least 8 hours before serving, mix everything togetherin a pitcher and refrigerate. Serve over ice. Splash a littleclub soda in to make it go further.

Sparkling Spiked Lemonade

• 1 cup gin, chilled (along the Bombay/Tanqueray line)• 1/2 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed• 1 bottle Prosecco or other sparkling white wine, chilled

Combine gin and lemonade concentrate in a pitcher; chilluntil ready to serve. Just before serving, add sparklingwine to gin mixture; stir gently. Serve in champagneflutes or martini glasses.


78 » 20 questions » Claire Stewart

My advice to the first time gardener is…

…critically read everything,especially that which is aboutgardening. (Joseph)

The most unruly plant to dealwith is…

…is pigweed, a plant called aweed by many, and resistant tomost human control. (George)

My favorite thing about gardening in Alabama…

…is the shortness of the winterseason. But our winters are stillcold and uncomfortableenough to cause the cabin feverthat is necessary to bring outthe enthusiastic gardeningspirit in spring. (George)

My least favorite thing about gardening inAlabama…

…hot humid days of summer and not enoughSpring and Fall. (Joseph)

If I were a plant I would be a……tomato, because everyone loves tomatoes!(Joseph)

This unnaturally warm winter has affectedyards in Alabama…

…in many ways. For instance, many perenni-als still have last year’s leaves on them. Manytulip bulbs planted in the fall are coming upwith short stems and some with blooms missing, becausetulips need at least 15 weeks of consistent winter chill tobloom successfully. (George)

Gardens in the Tennessee Valley……have experienced even higher winter temperatures thanother areas because of the moderating factor of the river.

Because fruit trees require a certain‘chill factor’, some varieties of peachesand apples may not fruit properly thisyear. (George)

Landscaping in relationship to homevalue……has become too much a requirementfor a home. Landscaping around a newhome can be a very fun challenge fornew home owners. (Joseph)

The most beautiful gar-den I have ever seen……Ida Cason Calloway’svegetable garden at Cal-loway gardens inGeorgia, but very closewould be Longwood Gar-dens. (Joseph)

The worst gardeningmistake I have wit-nessed was……is probably the toppingof mature trees. Treessubjected to this practiceare ruined for life, andsad to look at. (George)

For those who aren’tfamiliar with the term,a Master Gardener is……a trained, hard workinggardener who is willingto help others. (Joseph)

If climate and conditions were perfect, I would love toplant…

…capers and olive trees. These simple foods have nour-ished mankind for untold numbers of years, in good timesand bad. (George)

Japanese Beetle

Olive Trees

Twenty Questions for George Bennett, Nursery Owner,and Joseph Campbell, Huntsville Master Gardener


The time I spend in the yard every week is about……one solid hour of work in my own yard. (Joseph)

Many people are trying to stray away from pesticidesand fungicides and move towards organic gardening. Mytake on that is…

…it is a very desirable goal and very difficult in any butsmall gardens. An effort should be made to use as fewchemicals as will let your garden effort be successful.(Joseph)

The most difficult plant I have ever tried to grow was……wasabi, commonly called Japanese horseradish. I con-cluded finally that it was too much a stretch to expect thepungent plant which lives along streambeds in Japanesemountains to make it through the hot Alabama summers.(George)

In my opinion, the worst insect to plague Alabama gar-deners is…

…Japanese beetle, followed closely by the Asian ambrosiabeetle, with the imported ladybug bringing up the rear.(George)

For those who only have a small areas to grow a garden……work with all of the space you have. Small areas are greatplaces to grow ‘salad’ vegetables. (Joseph)

Indoor gardening can be……the best place to grow the herbs used in the kitchen.(Joseph)

When choosing colors for your garden……personally, green vegetables are the most pleasing to myeyes, but choose the colors that make you happy that youwant to wake up and look outside and see every day.(Joseph)

Gardening is not just planting pretty flowers, it’s……also in seeing the natural beauty of and realizing theessential usefulness in all plants. It’s in knowing thatplants are our only source of life-giving oxygen, and in theface of the world’s wholesale destruction of forests, eachperson who gardens performs a restorative service to theworld. (George)

George Bennett, owner of Bennett Nurseries since 1972, cantell you everything there is to know about gardening in NorthAlabama. Joseph Campbell is a Huntsville Master Gardenerand teaches classes at the Botanical Gardens each month forthose who want to try out their own green thumb. The perfect wedding deserves the perfect spot. It’s not too early to

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You could win The Perfect Wedding - details in the July/August edition of No’Ala!

80 » bless their hearts » Allen Tomlinson

I know you can’t tell it by looking at me, and if you’ve spentany time around me at all it’s hard to believe I know howto use any of these tools. I don’t. Being addicted to toolsand being able to use them are totally unrelated concepts.For me, it’s all about…well, convenience.

My father was a forester, and in his spare time, late in life,he developed a love (and the skills) for woodworking. Hebuilt beautiful things, cabinets and desks and all sorts ofuseful things made of wood, and because he had the inter-est and the time, he collected all of the tools he needed.Maybe that was the start of it, for me; if I ever needed ametric screwdriver that you could also use as a power drill,can opener and flashlight-in-one, I’m sure Dad had one.

But I don’t collect tools because I love the tools. I don’tcollect them because of all of the neat things you can dowith them. I collect tools because I can’t find the tools Ialready have, and my response, when I’m in the momentand have a need, is to go buy new ones.

Here’s an example. We recently commissioned anartist to build a king sized cherry canopybed. Our old bed was platform style,which meant the mattress sat on a

wooden platform and did not requirea box spring. A new, custom-made king sized bed fromAppalachian cherry can be a

somewhat pricey investment, andI didn’t really want to purchase

box springs on top of all ofthat, so we decided to

convert the new bed to aplatform by cutting ply-

wood to make a base.

I very smartly got thehardware store to cutthe plywood sheets

for me, but I made a fairly simple measuring mistake andended up with plywood panels that were way too long andnot nearly wide enough. (I’m sure this is because I could-n’t find my tape measure and didn’t have time to go buy anew one; incidentally, two days after the mistake with theplywood, I found a stash of three tape measures hiddenin a drawer in the kitchen, a place I could have sworn Ilooked before.)

So, what do you do when you have made a measuring mis-take? Well, you certainly don’t take the plywood back toLowe’s and ask them to cut it again; that would be tooembarrassing. So instead, I figured out how I could recutthe wood so that the pieces we ended up with would work.

Only I could not find my power saw to save my life. I wascertain that it was in the carport closet, where I thought Ihad put it the last time I had to do something handy, butwe actually have three carport closets, all stuffed full oftools, and I opened each door and stood there, desper-ately scanning the piles and piles of stuff, looking for mysaw. There were seven yard rakes, from back before I con-veniently developed an allergy to something in the grass,four or five shovels from the year I thought I was going tohave a flower garden, about twenty paint rollers, all rustedand no longer usable, and two drills I had needed so badlya week before but couldn’t find, so I bought a new one.(Wonder where it is?) There were also about ten boxes ofstuff we had moved from the last house, seven years ago,and never unpacked—I opened the top of one of the boxesand saw that it was full of old tennis shoes, like maybe adozen pairs. I found my favorite bucket, the one I used touse when I had time to wash my own car, and a couple ofbottles of car washing detergent that had almost solidi-fied, they were so old; the last time I had an urge to washmy car I wasn’t able to find any of this stuff.

But no power saw. And that’s a shame, really, because thepower saw I was looking for had seen me through many,many horrible home projects gone wrong, and I felt as ifwe were bonded, somehow. I had a little wave of nostalgia,standing there with my hand on the wide-open closet

My name is Allen, and I’m addicted…to tools.

BEING ADDICTED TO TOOLS AND BEING ABLE TO USE THEM ARE TOTALLY UNRELATEDCONCEPTS. FOR ME, IT’S ALL ABOUT… WELL, CONVENIENCE.


door, thinking about how badly I had mangled a little cof-fee table we had attempted to make from scratch; it tookfour trips to Home Depot to buy replacement legs becauseI was unable to cut them properly. (When the project wasfinished, it looked really good, and I discovered that aceramic tile coaster under one of the legs made the thingsit still and not rock.)

I’m an addict, as I have admitted, but I am not withoutremorse. Because I wasn’t able to find my power sawimmediately, I decided to go to the office and see if I couldfind it there. I wandered through the warehouse, the like-liest place for an errant power saw, and found two or threemore tape measures, an electric drill in a plastic carryingcase but no drill bits, and seventeen—I’m not kidding—computer monitors, dating back to the early 1990s, thatwe don’t know how to throw away and hang on to because(a) we are terrified that we will further pollute the ground-water because of the horrible things inside these monitors,and (b) we are sure that the insides of these things aremade of solid gold and could be sold off for a lot of money.But no power saw. It was obviously a sign.

So—off to Lowe’s. I didn’t mind showing my face therefor the second or third time that day—that’s actually nor-mal when I’m undertaking a project, and I wasn’t bringinganything back or asking someone to undo something Ihad accidentally done. I was just a man, browsing throughthe power tools, looking for the perfect electric saw.

So, you know how this ends, don’t you? I found a hotorange model, on sale, with sexy pictures on the box of itlooking so attractive, with racing stripes and everything.I got it home and attempted to cut the plywood so wecould actually use the platform bed that night—had wenot had the prospect of sleeping on a mattress on thefloor, I might have taken a little more time to find the fourpower saws that turned up within the next week, all inplaces I swear I looked before I bought the orange one.Did I mention that I couldn’t get the blade to work quiteright with my new power saw, and that every time Istarted sawing the blade just stop turning, and that I finallyhad to finish cutting the plywood with a very old hand sawthat I happened to find in one of the carport closets?

I could probably return this newest tool, but I am sure Iwill need it again some day, and, honestly, I don’t remem-ber where I put it. With all of this said, I do have someadvice for anyone who might suffer from my same addic-tion. The very best tool I have, amongst the hundreds andhundreds of duplicate instruments I have collectedthrough the years, is my cell phone. I have an electrician,a plumber and a handyman on speed dial; believe me,that’s a lot cheaper than having me do a project myself. N

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82 » parting shot » Patrick Hood

Spring—Burritt on the Mountain, March 2012

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